Portland Trail Blazers: Cheering for Cap Space
Chris Phillips
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The Portland Trail Blazers are gaining more cap space. But, what good is cap space when there isn’t the top talent to spend it on?
The Portland Trail Blazers are certainly making moves and reshaping this roster at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, the returning assets and players leave a lot to be desired for some fans. This guy is one of those fans. Other fans want to sit back and call out other fans hypocrisy. For example, “You were upset with no moves being made. Now moves are being made, and you’re complaining. Haha, insert derogatory name-calling word or words.” And yet other fans are over the moon about the Blazers’ newly available cap space.
These fans issue smug, arrogant, and demeaning statements. Their message is to make you feel small and dumb. Like they are on another level in basketball knowledge. Now they might be smart, I have no way of knowing. However, circling back to their message about glorious cap space. When’s the last time cap space won a game for the Portland Trail Blazers? Or the last time cap space hit a game-winner? That remark may be a petty retort, but it points to a bigger concern.
Glorious Cap Space
As of now, Interim General Manager Joe Cronin’s plan appears to be going hard in free agency after a big-time/max contract or two, type of player. There are potentially big-time impactful free agents the Portland Trail Blazers can get. For example, Bradley Beal, James Harden, John Wall, or Zach LaVine. All of them come with their own concern.
Will Harden force his way out again? How will Beal be after his injury? Wall and Damian Lillard don’t make sense as a backcourt duo. And odds are Chicago doesn’t let LaVine get to free agency.
So, where’s this big max player that Cronin will lure to the Pacific Northwest? Up next are some good players who can be helpful, but by no means are they max contract type of talents. For example, Gary Harris, Jeremy Lamb, T.J. Warren, Dennis Schroder, or Collin Sexton. Of this group, Sexton is the one who offers the most upside and intrigue.
However, it would give the Portland Trail Blazers one of the smallest backcourts in the league. The rest of the names listed are role players or guys better utilized off the bench. Again, not exactly the max-level talent. Especially, when you compare them to former backcourt mate C.J. McCollum or rising star Anfernee Simons.
If you feel like laughing, google “2022 NBA free agents” and read this tweet again ??? https://t.co/O6YGOd42SK
— Ra's al Ghoul (@blvckcement) February 8, 2022